Governance

"Last year, we were not able to celebrate Women's Day in the Ward because it was too close to the election results. This year, we have planned to celebrate Women's Day with the conservancy and sanitation workers in the Ward, along with other women," says M Renuka, the Councillor of Ward 42. "We are planning to create awareness about the rights of women," she adds. Renuka is a first-time Councillor. She joined the Communist Party of India (CPI) in 2018. "I used to do field work for the party," she says. "Then, in 2022, the party fielded me as a…

The Tamil Nadu Apartment Ownership Act, 2022 is a new legislation that could potentially safeguard the interest of apartment owners and improve the administration of common areas and facilities.  It has been stated that every apartment should get registered under the new Act. While the legislation was notified recently, the Government is yet to come out with the rules and regulations for the Act.  Some important considerations of apartment owners must be taken into account and reflected in the rules for the aim of the legislation to be met. Stakeholder inputs on Apartment Ownership Act  While framing the rules under…

The Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) was passed by the Karnataka Assembly, in December 2022, to unify all public transport under one umbrella. Part 1 looked at the roles and functions of the BMLTA. In Part 2, we will look at several concerns raised over BMLTA's lack of participatory planning and appropriate devolution of power to a lower level. Citizens and urban transport activists had voiced their concerns over passing the Bill. The primary issue was the lack of inclusive decision-making. 74th amendment act In a letter to B. A Basavaraj, Minister of Urban Development Department and B. Sriramulu,…

In his budget speech on February 17th, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai stated that quality of life in Bengaluru would improve “by ensuring seamless mobility, developing roads, prevention of floods by developing storm water drains and designing scientific and efficient waste management systems.” While such physical infrastructure is undoubtedly important for the well-being of a city, social infrastructure such as housing and health are equally crucial for improving the standard of living. In Part 1 of this series, we looked at the gaps in budget allocations to BMTC and education. In Part 2, we will look at how the budget focuses…

Be it laying stormwater drains or carrying out patch work on roads or repair and renovation of civic infrastructure - all such activities by the civic body has to go through a tendering process to select eligible contractors to carry out the work. In the past, the tendering process has come under the scanner due to allegations of corruption and favouritism to certain contractors. Anti-corruption activists, residents and contractors have called for greater transparency in the tendering process to ensure the contracts are awarded to those who are best equipped to carry out the work. Here is a look at…

While roads and related infrastructure were given importance in this year’s state budget, housing, education and health were neglected. With the BBMP budget slated to be announced soon, Citizen Matters Bengaluru, organised a webinar, 'The mysterious process of Bengaluru’s budget allocations', on February 23rd, to raise questions about why some sectors are given preference over others, the source of funds, the format of the expenditure, and more. Citizen Matters hosted a webinar on the dissemination and allocation of state and municipal finance. Pic: Citizen Matters The discussion was anchored by Bhanu Sridharan, and the panellists were Kathyayini Chamaraj, executive trustee…

Books connect readers to voices from the past, from alternative universes, from lives of people we don’t know. Books transport us to unknown worlds, while simultaneously revealing and helping us interpret the realities of our own. Books transform, by making us think, wonder and find our own voices. Public libraries, therefore, can be the centre of such transformation — for both individuals and communities.   Libraries, however, can be more than a repository of books.  During the pandemic and subsequent lock down, community-run free libraries in India educated its members on social distancing and masking, helped them book vaccination appointments, filled…

Another legislation. Another new Authority called the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA). Ostensibly designed for the regulation of development, operation, maintenance, monitoring, and supervision of urban mobility, within what the bill calls the Urban Mobility Region, by unifying all the different public transport entities into one overarching body. The BMLTA is just two months old, but has been given its first assignment. The detailed project report of the contentious Sankey Road flyover project, which is strongly opposed by citizens and mobility experts, was handed over to the young BMLTA for evaluation of the feasibility of the project. Its first…

"En ward-u," says Councillor V Kaviganesan of Ward 12, to the 26 conservancy workers of his ward who are assembled for a meeting at 6 am. "En veedu," respond the workers. This drill lasts three to four times before the conservancy workers leave for work every day. "My ward is my home" has become the motto of the civic workers in Ward 12. V Kaviganesan of the DMK says that this is his first stint, and he wants to do his best to serve his people. He is also a practicing lawyer at the Madras High Court at the moment.…

"If I had been made a Ward Committee member, I would have pushed for relocation of the wine shop near my lane so that women can walk around safely after sunset," says Mallika, a daily wage worker from Nesapakkam, Ward 137 of the Greater Chennai Corporation. Unfortunately, she was unaware of when the councillor of her ward chose the Area Sabha Representatives or who the Ward Committee Member of her area was. "The councillor came during the local body election time. I do not recollect seeing him coming after that," she says. While it has been touted as a platform…